Author(s)

Date Approved

Embargo Period

Document Type

Degree Name

Department

Psychology

College

College of Science & Mathematics

First Advisor

Chapell, Mark S.

Subject(s)

Aging--Psychological aspects; Older people--Attitudes

Disciplines

Psychology

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate differences in fears of aging in two age groups (M=20 years and M=30 years) and gender differences in fears of aging. Two hundred twenty-two undergraduate (n=156) and graduate students (n=66) responded to three questionnaires, the Anxiety about Aging Scale (AAS), the Brief Life Satisfaction Scales (BLSS), and an open-ended questionnaire allowing participants to write in their five greatest personal fears of aging. The older age group had significantly higher Anxiety about Aging Psychological Concerns subscale scores. Males scored significantly higher than females in AAS total scores, and males also scored significantly higher than females in three AAS subscale scores, Psychological Concerns, Physical Appearance, and Fear of Losses. For the entire sample, the most common responses on the open-ended top five fears of personal aging questionnaire were health concerns first, followed by personal death, then physical appearance. There were no significant age group differences for any of the five fears of aging, but females rated their personal appearance fears of aging at a rate two to three times higher than males across all five fears of aging.